1. The Counseling Relationship
Code of Ethics

2. Counselor-Client Relationship
Counselors should value objectivity and maintain high standards.
Respect client dignity and promote client welfare.
Mental health Counselors need to set clear boundaries for the counseling relationship.

3. Disclosure of counseling information is restricted to what is necessary, relevant, and verifiable.
Confidentiality

4. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a right granted to all clients of mental health counseling services.
The information in the client record belongs to the client and shall not be shared without permission granted through a formal release of information.
Release of information without consent can only take place under extreme circumstances such as ; protection of life (suicidality, homicidality), child abuse or elder abuse.

5. Confidentiality
Mental health counselors do not release information unless accompanied by a specific release of information or a valid court order.
Mental health counselors have the responsibility to ensure the accuracy of, and to indicate the validity of, data shared with other parties.

6. Dual/Multiple Relationships
Counselors are aware of their influential position with respect to their clients and avoid exploiting the trust and fostering dependency of the client.
Counselors make every effort to avoid dual-multiple relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of harm.
Do not accept clients if you have been involved in an administrative, supervisory, or other relationship of an evaluative nature.

7. Exploitive Relationships
Maintain respect for the client and avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of the client.
Romantic or sexual relationships are strictly prohibited .
It is strongly discouraged from engaging in romantic relationships with former clients. Counselors may not enter into an intimate relationship until 5 years post termination or longer as specified by state regulations.
Counselors are aware of their own values, beliefs, and behaviors as well as how these apply in a society with clients from diverse ethnic, social, cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds.

8. Competence
The maintenance of high standards of professional competence is a responsibility shared by all mental health counselors is the interest of the client, the public, and the profession.
Recognize the boundaries of their particular competencies and the limitations of their expertise.
Provide only those services and use only those techniques for which they are qualified by education, training, or expertise.
Maintain knowledge of relevant scientific and professional information related to the services rendered , and recognizes the need for on-going education.
Have a responsibility to maintain high standards of professional conduct at all times.

9. Record-keeping, Fee Arrangement, Bartering
Mental health counselors create and maintain accurate and adequate clinical and financial records.
Mental health counselors create, maintain, store, and dispose of client records in ways that protect confidentiality and are in accordance with applicable regulations or laws.
Mental health counselors establish a plan for the transfer, storage , and disposal of client records in the event of withdrawal from practice or death of the counselor that maintains confidentiality and protects the welfare of the client.

10. Fee arrangements, Bartering, and Gifts
In establishing professional counseling fees, mental health counselors take into consideration the financial situation of client and locality.
Mental health counselors are cognizant of cultural norms in relations to fee arrangements, bartering, and gifts.
Mental health counselors acting as consultants have a high degree of self-awareness of their own values, knowledge, skills, and needs in entering a helping relationships that involves human organizational change.

11. Relationship with Colleagues
Mental health counselors understand how related professions complement their work and make full use of other professional, technical, and administrative resources that best serve the interest of the clients.
Mental health counselors treat professional colleagues with the same dignity and respect afforded to clients.
Mental health counselors respect the viability, reputation, and proprietary.

12. Public Responsibility
Counselors do not engage in or condone sexual harassment .
Sexual harassment can consist of a single intense or severe act or multiple persistent or pervasive acts.

13. Counselor Supervision and Client Welfare
The primary obligation of counseling supervisors is to monitor the services provided by other counselors.
Counseling supervisors monitor client welfare and professional development.
Counseling supervisors work to ensure that clients are aware of the qualifications of the supervisees who render services to the clients.

14. Ethics
Your ethical muscle grows stronger every time you choose right over wrong.
- Price Pritchett

15. Impairment
Counselors-in-training refrain from offering or providing counseling services when their physical, mental, or emotional problems are likely to harm a client or others.
They seek services for themselves to remediate the problems that are interfering with their ability to provide services.

16. Multicultural Competence
Counselors actively infuse multicultural competency in their training and supervision practices.
Counselors include case examples, role plays, discussion questions to help promote and represent various cultural perspectives.

17. Resolving Ethical Issues
Counselors behave in a legal, ethical, and moral manner in the conduct of their professional work. They are aware that client protection and trust in the profession depend on a high level of professional conduct.
Counselors strive to resolve ethical dilemmas with direct and open communication among all parties involved and seek consultation when necessary.
Lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of an ethical responsibility is not a defense against a charge of unethical conduct.

18. Conflicts Between Ethics and Laws
If ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, counselors make known their commitment and take steps to resolve the conflict.
If the conflict cannot be resolved by such means, counselors may adhere to the requirements of law, regulations, or other governing legal authority.

19. Unwarranted Complaints
Counselors do not initiate, participate in, or encourage the filing of ethics complaints that are made in reckless disregard or willful ignorance of the facts that would disprove the allegations.

20. Consultation
When uncertain as to whether a particular situation or course of actions may be in violation of the ethical code, counselors should consult with other counselors who are knowledgeable about ethics.

21. Ethics
But when we get enough people who do not care and who do not accept personal responsibility for high ethic standards, our organization gets the “M” disease. Mediocrity. Anybody in the place can be a carrier. By the same token, every individual can carry the cure: the ethics of excellence.
- Price Pritchett